July: The Month of Green Tea

Well, I have long considered the impacts of giving up coffee cold turkey.  I am an avid coffee drinker and usually consume around 3 cups of my beloved black brew every morning, so this task would certainly be daunting at best, miserable at worst.  On a few occassions, I did quit coffee for a day or two and experienced unbelievable headaches from caffeine withdrawl, so I would like to see what would happen if I just replaced coffee with an alternate form of caffeine.

I considered changing to pop and having a couple cans of Coke every morning, but I don't like the amount of sugar and the artificial sweeteners in diet cola give me a headache.  I also thought about 5-hour Energy or Rockstar Energy drinks, but people go to the hospital after drinking those and it seems a little too intense for me.

So I have declared July to be the month of green tea.  This experiment will involve me completely dropping my daily coffee intake and replacing it with green tea to see how this affects me.  I like green tea and it has numerous health benefits, so I will keep you updated as the month progresses.

See also:
Change the Culture!
April, the Month of the Cold Shower

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 30 (I've made it!)

April 30, 2013

I've made it!  I've gone an entire month cold showering!  It has been a marvelous journey with ups and downs, thrills and spills, action, romance, philosophy... all the makings of an epic tale!

To celebrate, I will reward myself with a warm shower tomorrow morning, followed by a blast of cold water, of course, and a hot shave.

These are the conclusions and observations I have made over this one-month endeavor:

• Conclusion #1: Cold showers save time.
• Conclusion #2: It is easier to take a cold water shower than a blast-of-cold-water-at-the-end-of-a-hot-shower.
• Conclusion #3: Cold water shaving has benefits.
• Conclusion #4: Menthol does not increase the chill factor already inherent in a cold shower.
• Conclusion #5: Switching from hot to cold showers helps one learn how to set goals.
• Conclusion #6: Cold weather makes the cold shower more invigorating.
• Conclusion #7: Cold showers help you chill out (pun very much intended!).
• Conclusion #8: With cold showers, it's all or nothing.
• Conclusion #9: Cold showers have spiritual benefits.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 29 (How Long?)

April 29, 2013

How long can you last?

I don't mean how many days, weeks, or months cold showering.  I mean how many seconds can you stand in the cold water?

Since my typical cold shower lasts much shorter than a hot shower, I decided that I would try to see how long I can stay under the chilly water after I had finished with the necessary showering elements of soap and shampoo.  Just standing there, I only lated about 20 seconds before I decided enough was enough.

Is this an endurance test?

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 28 (Uncle Ben)

April 28, 2013

Benjamin Franklin promoted the act of shaving with cold water.  Benjamin Franklin was a genius.  Coincidence?  You decide...

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 27 (Will it ever be the same?)

April 27, 2013

I'm now over three weeks into this cold showering experiment and I am beginning to wonder how or if this will change my life.

• Will I switch back to warm or hot showers?
• Will cold showers be reserved for special occasions?
• Will I look at the shower and ask myself, "Should I or shouldn't I?"
• Will I promote cold showers to others for health benefits or for better living?

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 26 ("Military Showers")

April 26, 2013

When I was a kid, we had this shower in the basement with a shower head that was not water efficient, not like the modern showerheads that are designed to conserve the resource.  Our hot water heater wasn't the best, either.  The water pressure in the shower was great, but the problem was that after one person took a shower, even of reasonable length, it used up a lot of the hot water and the next person might not have enough for a full shower.

So, in order to save the hot water, we would take "military showers."  Here is how to take a military shower:

1. Turn on the water.
2. Step into the shower and get wet.
3. Turn off the water.
4. Lather up.
5. Turn the water back on to rinse off, then the shower is finished.

This is actually a good pair with the cold shower, especially when you are just starting out with the experiment, since it gives you a break from the cold water in the middle.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 25 (I came. I saw. I cold showered.)

April 25, 2013

I came.  I saw.  I cold showered.

My cold shower this morning gave me a ton of energy and I feel like I can take on anything in the world!  Yesterday had more than its fair share of stress at work.  Those high-stress days can really drag you down and leave you feeling defeated, but each morning brings a new opportunity: the opportunity to start all over again and make it better than the day before.  It all starts again with that new sunrise and you get another chance at changing the world.

And what better way to begin that endeavor than a super-cold highly-charged kick start cold shower?

That being conquored, I am ready for a new day full of success!

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 24 (Amen! Alleluia!)

April 24, 2013

One of my daily habits is to begin my morning prayers in the shower.  I'm usually finished by the time that I've finished shaving, or if not, by the time I've tied my tie.  This was a nice time to spend in quiet meditation, but cold showering and shaving has changed that.  Now, my prayers are rejoicing, proclaiming, and celebratory.  The cold water makes me want to shout at the top of my lungs!

But I don't do that out loud- it would wake up the whole neighborhood.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 23 (One Week Left)

April 23, 2013

I only have a week left on this amazing challenge!  I'm excited that I have made it this far in the experiment without flinching.  I didn't try any new or exciting variations today.  Stay tuned for more updates.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 22 (Cold Hands, Warm Heart)

April 22, 2013

I've noticed over the last few weeks of taking a cold shower that my hands and feet stay a little cold during the morning.  By the time I have my first cup of coffee, my hands will start to warm up.  It reminds me of the old saying, "Cold hands, warm heart."

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 20 (Resilience)

April 20, 2013

The mental and physical strength it takes to face a cold blast of water to the body first thing in the morning is quite significant.  Not all people would be able to stand up so such a challenge.  The interesting thing about this is how simple of a challenge it really is: stand under the shower head and turn on the water.  Go ahead, do it!  Facing this challenge/apprehension every morning can only stand to build you stronger, more resilient, and will help you to go with the flow wherever your day's challenges take you.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 21 (Awaken the Sprit)

April 21, 2013

Water, water, everywhere!  One of the four elements of alchemy, cause of the great flood, key component in the rite of baptism, life-giving, refreshing, essential... water is all of these things, and more.  I would venture a guess that water plays an important spiritual role in most world religions.

Incorporated into the morning routine, the cold shower can provide a spiritual renewal on a daily basis.  What better way to start the day?

Conclusion #9: Cold showers have spiritual benefits.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 19 (I almost forgot!)

April 19, 2013

I stepped into the shower this morning and mindlessly turned on the hot water.  I didn't even realize it until the water hit me!  Then, I quickly turned it over to cold and went on with my day.

It will still be a little longer before this becomes habit for me.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 18

April 18, 2013

Hot water is a luxury.  It is something that a lot in the modernized world consider a basic need but many (I would venture to say a majority) live without.  Even though I was not able to get a statistic on this, I would guess that the number of people that consider hot water essential to daily living to be in the minority.

Think about all of the energy that is expended on heating water.  Much of this comes from non-renewable resources and is unhealthy for the environment, all in the name of comfort.  After going for almost three weeks showering only with cold water, I can see how the consumption of hot water can be wasteful.

Cold showers are simple.  They satisfy the basic need of cleanliness, with several added benefits, and conserve energy otherwise used for luxury.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 17 (First Battle of the Day)

April 17, 2013

Reading about cold showers, I've found that a few different world religions practice cold showering as a part of a daily ritual.  The Sikhs call it ishnaan and they consider it to be the first battle of the day.

This notion struck a chord with me, this idea of winning the first battle of the day.  When you truly think about all of the challenges that we face throughout the day, a cold shower is a small victory, but if you begin your day by winning your first challenge, the rest of the day is going to be set up for success.  That will make closing that big deal, nailing that interview, having that difficult conversation, etc. much easier.

See also:
How To Take a Cold Shower (and Why)

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 16 (The Anticipation)

Anticipation.

(Now that you have Carly Simon stuck in your head, you are welcome!)

I've gone through a few different variations on my 30-day cold shower challenge, trying new elements just to see what happens and to keep things interesting.  One thing that I have discovered is that the anticipation of the cold never goes away.  That's probably what makes the cold so much fun at first!  I've been working on a theory this morning: the cold itself doesn't wake you up, it's the anticipation that wakes you up.  The excitement of having cold water just about to come flying out of the showerhead is the best part of the morning.  It's the very substance that thrill seekers seek, only it's cheaper, easier to access, and it can be an integral part of your daily routine!

These are the good old days.

I found another blog called Ryan Goes Abroad.  The author also concluded that The Initial Shock Never Goes Away.  It's good to know that this will always be a part of the experience for me.  I've come to realize that this experiment may actually be life-changing; it is very likely that I might not return to hot showers ever again.

I'm curious to see if there are any other life-changing experiments out there.

See also:
 Life Experiment #13: Take Cold Showers For 30 Days


Now, let's let Carly have the final word:

"We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway, yay
And I wonder if I'm really with you now
Or just chasin' after some finer day

Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

And I tell you how easy it feels to be with you
And how right your arms feel around me
But I, I rehearsed those lines just late last night
When I was thinkin' about how right tonight might be

Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

And tomorrow we might not be together
I'm no prophet and I don't know nature's ways
So I'll try and see into your eyes right now
And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days

(These are the good old days)
And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are.....the good old days)"

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 15 (Putting it into Reverse)

April 15, 2013

This morning, I decided to try putting the method I used on Day 2 in reverse: I started with a cold shower and at the end I switched the temperature on to warm.

Now that was a waste of time.  All the lovely shock and energy that comes from a cold shower was lost as soon as the water started to warm up.

I'm bitter about this- something only a cup of coffee can cure!

Conclusion #8: With cold showers, it's all or nothing.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 14 (Shower for World Peace)

April 14, 2013

Back in my homeland in Minnesota, we would usually try swimming in April as soon as the snow had melted off of the lake.  This is some of the coldest water I have ever experienced, aside from glacial-fed lakes in the high country of the Colorado Rockies (the subject for another post series).  After jumping in and out of the early-spring water, we would dry off as fast as possible and warm up by the campfire.  As the fire warmed you up, you would start to experience a very calm, peaceful feeling.  It wasn't like feeling tired or drained of energy, but more of a relaxed, super-aware state of mind.  The rest of the day would go by well and you would feel calm, agreeable, and very content with life in general.

Could cold showering be a part of the world peace equation?

I've noticed that my days now go by very pleasantly, I don't let little things get to me, and when any conflict arises, I am able to resolve it quickly and effectively.

Conclusion #7: Cold showers help you chill out (pun very much intended!).

See also:
April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 3 (April showers bring May flowers...)

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 13 (Lucky 13)

April 13, 2013

I've made it almost two weeks on my cold shower routine- nearly half-way through!  I've tried a couple of variations thorughout the process, some that were a lot of fun and some that were more take-it-or-leave-it.  A couple of philosophical questions came up in the process and I've had a lot of fun.

At this point, I'm no longer surprised by the shock of cold water.  I enter the shower, turn the knobs, feel the blast of cold water, finish up, and I'm out.  It's become routine, almost.

April, the Month of the Cold Shower: Day 12 (Cold Shower Beer)

April 12, 2013

One great way to decompress after a tough day at work is the Shower Beer.  This method, celebrated at our workplace and elsewhere, involves drinking a beer in the shower, combining the best of both worlds: a hot shower and a cold beer.  The result is a very relaxing, laid-back experience (but don't over-do it; save it for special occasions!).  The Shower Beer has one of three possible outcomes:

• The beer is consumed very quickly in the shower (a modified version of Chug and Thug)
• The shower is much longer than expected in order to avoid chugging the beer too quickly
• The beer is finished more quickly and the shower is a bit longer than usual

Cold showering poses a new element to the Shower Beer.  Since cold showers go by much faster than a typical hot shower, the beer would need to be finished in about a minute, definitely not at the leisurely pace of a typical Shower Beer.

I tried the Cold Shower Beer yesterday after work just to see what would happen.  The experience was invigorating, refreshing, and the resulting buzz was arctic-chilly and very fun!  I would recommend this as a way to totally turn a bad day around!